Conservative backbenchers have warned David Cameron that the party could
‘squander’ a chance to strengthen grass-roots support as polling shows easing
the hunting ban could help win back swing voters

David Cameron risks “squandering” an opportunity to win back disgruntled Conservative voters unless he moves quickly to introduce a partial relaxation of the hunting ban, backbenchers claim.

At a meeting attended by more than 40 MPs in Westminster last week, backbenchers accused party whips of being overcautious and dragging their feet over the proposal which farmers say would help them protect flocks without an acrimonious attempt to repeal the ban altogether.

It came as new polling showed that the move could help the Tories retain or regain support from up to one in seven swing voters, including those attracted by Ukip.

Mr Cameron recently signalled support for the idea of allowing farmers to use a full pack of hounds, instead of just two, to flush foxes which have been attacking flocks out from cover to be shot.

The change, which would bring the law in England and Wales into line with that in Scotland, would be the first change to one of the most contentious pieces of legislation in modern times.

But it would require only a technical amendment to the Hunting Act, introduced by Tony Blair, rather than a full vote for repeal.

The Tories have a commitment to allowing a free vote on repealing the Act, but hunting campaigners see a partial amendment as a more realistic goal

Yet Conservative whips have voiced reluctance to pressing ahead with the change, amid fears that it could threaten the party’s support in marginal urban constituencies at the next general Election in 2015.

But supporters of a change now point to polling showing that most voters would not be affected either way by such a change but that swing voters on the right might be drawn to the party if it made the change.

Neil Parish, the Tory MP for Tiverton and Honiton, who was at the meeting, said backbenchers had voiced “frustration” at reluctance by some to press ahead quickly with the change.

“I think it is an opportunity to show the people who want a firm policy from Conservative government that we mean business,” he said.

“This is an opportunity we should take, I don’t think we want to squander it and we need to get on with it really.”

The polling, commissioned by the Federation of Welsh Farmers’ Packs, which is campaigning for the relaxation, showed that hunting did not figure in the list of key issues likely to determine most voters’ support, a list dominated by health, the economy and immigration.

But the Orb International poll of 2,000 voters found that 36 per cent of swing voters would be more likely to vote Conservative if the Government relaxes the hunting ban, against 22 per cent who would be less likely – a potential net gain of 14 per cent.

More than a third of those who said they are likely to vote Ukip but could be open to persuasion said relaxing the hunting ban could attract them to the Conservatives.

Mr Parish said this proved that some in the party were “unduly frightened” by the political fallout from one side of the debate while antagonising those on the other side.

“I am keen – and a lot of backbenchers are keen – to get this amendment put before Parliament quickly in the New Year, otherwise if we leave it too late in the year it could be deemed too close to the election,” he said.

“What worries me is that the longer we leave the more it will become an issue which is seen as too hot to handle.

“We need to deliver something for country sports which we haven’t delivered up until now.

“I think it is fair to say that there is a reservation … there is a push back from the whips, the Prime Minister backs it but he will need to make sure that he backs it strongly.”